WAUKESHA — Despite adding 3,600
jobs from December to January, the unemployment rate for the
Milwaukee-Waukesha-Ozaukee- Washington county region rose 0.6
percent to 3.4 percent in January.

Data released Wednesday by the Department of Workforce Development
based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed that the
unemployment rate for the Milwaukee-W.O.W area increased 0.1 percent
compared to January 2018’s total of 3.3 percent and an increase of
0.6 percent compared to 2.8 percent in December.

Waukesha County’s unemployment rate also went up, but its ranking in
the state improved. The DWD indicated the county had the sixth best
employment number in the state for January, according to the data.

In January, it had an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent, compared to
2.4 percent in December and 2.8 percent last January.

Washington County’s ranking went from fifth to sixth in the state
with an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent in January, 2.3 percent in
December and 2.8 percent last January.

Ozaukee County also saw a ranking improvement. It ranked second in
January, compared to third in December for employment totals in the
state. Its unemployment rate for January was 2.7 percent, compared
to 2.2 percent in December and 2.6 percent in January 2018.

Milwaukee County also rose nine spots on the rankings list to 29th
in January. Last month, it had an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent,
compared to 3.2 percent in December and 3.7 percent in January 2018.

Area communities saw changes in their unemployment rates as well.

In Waukesha County, Brookfield’s rate was 2.7 percent in January,
2.3 percent in December and 2.7 percent in January 2018; New Berlin
was 2.9 percent in January, 2.5 percent in December and 2.9 percent
in January 2018; and Waukesha was 3 percent in January, 2.4 percent
in December and 2.9 percent in January 2018.

In Washington County, West Bend had a rate of 3.1 percent in
January, 2.6 percent in December and 2.9 percent in January 2018.